Searching for My Destiny
by babeycakes09
Summary: Although her family has been separated for her safety, Dawn has been the Top Coordinator for the past three years. Yet there is still something missing. When she sets off on her very first adventure, she runs into many hardships along the way but an unexpected turn of events leads her to someone she will never forget. Someone who might just save her from herself and everyone else.
1. Adventure Awaits

**So this, depending on how creative I can get, will either be a short or long story with the pairing of Dawn and Volkner. I'm replaying the Diamond game right now and I find myself enjoying the pair more and more. Yet, with my luck, when I tried to find stories that interested me, they were all unfinished. So this is what I would like to happen between Dawn and Volkner. Keep in mind, I'm most likely not going to stick with the Pokemon that Dawn actually has, it might stray from any type of set story line, and most of the things in here are going to be made up as I go along. Regardless, I hope you all enjoy. -A**

-Eleven Months Ago-

**Dawn's P.O.V.**

"And that brings this contest to a close. Congratulations to the reining champion, contestant number four, Dawn Shigeru! Please collect your reward at the front desk. Thank you to all the fans that came to watch. Thanks to all the viewers at home as well. Have a great night everyone!" The announcer cheered along with the thousands of fans that lined the seats of the stadium. I stood on the tallest pedestal, my Abra, Hewie, sitting at my feet, and received the first part to my prize. A dinky medal with my name punctured into it.

The corset of my pink ballgown dress squeezed against my body, making it difficult to breathe normally. The contestants and myself were herded into the back waiting room. Each contestant went a different way, entering into their own personal room. After entering mine, I changed back into a black tank top and a pink skirt. I pulled my black socks all the way up, just under my knees, and slipped into pink boots. To finish it off, I tied my pink scarf around my neck and placed my white beanie on my head. Hewie nudged his head against my leg. "I know. We are going home soon." It's been another long day and after everything he has done, there is no doubt he is tired.

We walked out of our room and I wiped away the 'Shigeru, Dawn' written on the white board. As Hewie and I made our way down the hallway towards the lobby, the last contestant I faced stopped us. "Dawn.. uhh.. hi! You and Abra put on a great show during our battle." He said shyly.

A nervous blush spread across my face. I hate compliments. "Haha, umm thanks! You and your Umbreon were some of my toughest competition."

He furrowed his eyebrows. "I just have one question. How did your psychic type beat my dark type so easily? I mean, dark types are super effective against psychic types." A small smirk appeared on his face.

Is he implying that I cheated? "A lot of training." I stated dead panned with a stern look on my face.

"How much training? After all, your Abra is only in the first stage so it can't be that strong." The guy crossed his arms. This is a complete one eighty from when he confronted me.

I put my hands on my hips finally letting my anger get the best of me. "Listen up, bub. I don't appreciate the fact that you are implying that I cheated, or the fact that you are underestimating my Pokemon. You have no idea how much time and effort I or he has put into training for these competitions. My Abra is the number one Pokemon in the contest world and it has been that way for three years. So before you imply that the two of us cheated, you should get to know your facts. Abra was my first Pokemon ever. I got him when I was three years old. I'm now sixteen. That is thirteen years we have been together, training for these competitions. You have absolutely no right to just come to the conclusion that I cheated solely because my Pokemon is in the first stage and that it is strong. Do I make myself clear?" My eyes closed and I took a deep breath. That felt really good letting all that out.

The guy stood there, a look of shock plastered on his face. "Wow.. I guess you're right. I apologize for being a sore loser. But if you don't mind my asking, after thirteen years, why didn't you evolve you Abra into Kadabra then Alakazam?"

Hewie looked up to me, a small smile on his face. "Cause I let him decide who he wants to be. He doesn't have to evolve to prove how strong he is. He will evolve when he is ready. Besides, I love him just the way he is." I smiled softly.

"There is something special about you.." He said quietly before nodding his head and walking down the lobby, disappearing into the crowd.

Hewie looked up to me with a confused expression. I shrugged my shoulders. "Come on, Hew." I held my arms out and he latched onto my right shoulder. He wrapped his legs around my waist and I placed my arm around his back to keep him secured to my side. We walked into the lobby and made our way through the crowd to the front desk.

"Ahh, Miss Shigeru! And little Hewie!" The accountant tickled his nose. "Congrats on your win! Here is your thousand dollar prize money! Good luck in your next contest." She smiled.

"Yea, my next contest.." I trailed off. "Thanks again." She nodded her head and Hewie and I made our way through the crowd once again. Finally, we made it to the entrance and exited the Contest Hall. A gasp escaped my lips at the hoard of people waiting outside. Do they even know how late it is? As soon as I opened the door, they all turned to face me and began snapping pictures and shoving video cameras in my face, bombarding me with questions.

"Miss Shigeru! Over here! How did you pull off the win?"

"What is your strategy for your next contest?"

"Right here! Why did you decide to go with a psychic type when you knew you opponent was using a dark type?"

"What are your basic training techniques?"

"Miss Shigeru! At the young age of thirteen, you've managed to win every single contest you've entered. At sixteen now, how much longer to you think you will be the champion?"

Hewie clung to my side, hiding his head on my chest. With my free hand I covered his eyes, trying to calm him down. "I'm sorry but you all are scaring my Pokemon. If you could just-"

"Dawn! What new moves are you going to teach your Abra before your next contest?"

These people won't give it a rest. "Please, can you mo-"

"Who do you think will be your toughest competition in the next contest?"

You know what, screw this. "Hewie, teleport." Hewie's eyes gleamed red, a purple aura surrounding us. The news reporters and fans stumbled backwards. My eyes closed and the familiar scent of my room greeted me. I placed Hewie down on my bed and patted his head. "I'm sorry about that, Hew. I'm going to go get you some food, okay?" Hewie smiled. I released my other three Pokemon, Bolt, my Luxray, Red, my Magicarp, and Bandit, my Gabite. Gently, I lifted Magicarp up and put him in the small kiddie pool next to my bed. He splashed around happily. Bolt walked over to me, rubbing his body against my leg, much like a cat. I scratched behind his ear. Before I exited the room, I scratched under Bandit's chin. "I'll be back soon with food for everyone."

The door creaked quietly as I shut it. In small, silent footsteps, I crept down the stairs, as to not wake my mother. Just as I got to the bottom of the stairs, I tripped on Glameow's tail, falling straight on my face. My mother looked up from her seat at the kitchen table. "Oh hello dear! I didn't see you come in?"

With a loud groan, I stood. A big fat headache made it's way into my head. "Hi Momma. And that's because Hewie teleported us here. I thought you'd be in bed by now."

She smiled tiredly. Her soft navy blue hair was pulled back behind a bandanna. Her apron was long gone, hung up in one of the closets. A light purple, or lavender I guess, robe covered her frail body while cute little Buneary slippers rested under her feet. "Well I stayed up to watch your performance, outstanding job by the way. You and Hewie make the most marvelous team. Anyway, I stayed up to watch and I figured it would be rude of me to not congratulate you upon your arrival home. You've been gone for quite some time, dear. Are you thirsty? Should I make some tea?" She made a move to get up and I quickly held up my hand.

"It's okay Momma, I'll do it. And I'm sorry for being away for so long. Because Hewie is a psychic type Pokemon, his attacks can get out of hand very easily. Since he is still in his first stage, yet he is so high in levels, he has a hard time controlling them and keeping them at bay. Which is why we spend countless hours training, sometimes going nights without any sleep." While I explained, I grabbed the tea kettle from the top cabinet, filling it with water and placing it on the stove. While it heated up, I made my way over to the fridge and grabbed the tea tray from the top. After I filled the creamer with cream and grabbed two tea cups and the pot, I placed a small bowl of sugar with a teaspoon on the tray. Once everything was assembled the kettle began to make a high pitch squeal. "I keep thinking that I'm pushing Hewie too much. Maybe I'm just not cut out for this anymore." I slowly poured the hot water into the tea pot, plopping two tea bags in with it. After a minute and a quick stir, it was ready.

My mother poured both of us our tea after I placed the tray down on the table. "When you say 'this' what exactly do you mean?" She asked in a calm voice.

Heat rushed to my cheeks and my heat raced. I put two teaspoons of sugar and a tiny bit of creamer in my tea, stirring it slowly. "Momma.. I don't want to compete in contests anymore." There I said it. Ohh she must hate me now. What have I done? I probably just broke her heart. "I'm so sorry I'm not the perfect daughter. I tried so hard to be and at first I really enjoyed the Contests! I really did! But then once I started winning consistently, people either hated me or loved me solely based on how well I could compete. I have no true friends because all these people want is a chance to be stars and what better way than to pretend to be the Dawn Shigeru's best friend? It's got to the point where people think I'm cheating. And it's only because Hewie is so strong but still in his first stage. They have no idea how much work I put into being the best Top Coordinator. And I've reached my goal. I've been the best Top Coordinator for three years and never not once have I come in any less than first place. Yet I'm still not happy. So recently I've been thinking.. maybe being Top Coordinator isn't my destiny. I'm so sorry to disappoint you."

My eyes stayed glued to my hands. I can't face the disappointment my mother probably feels. "Dawn look at me." She said sternly. Fear oozed throughout my body as I hesitantly looked up to her. "Dawn, I don't ever want to hear you say that you've disappointed me, never again. You have made me the proudest mother on this planet. You've opened my mind up to many new things and you've really proven to others that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree." She winked with a wide smile spread across her face. "Sweetheart, I'm the one who should be apologizing. It makes me sick to my stomach to believe that I lead you to believe that you needed to compete in contests like I once did to earn my respect. I value your and your father's love more than anything in the world. With time, I know you'll figure out what your true destiny is."

"Thank you." I whispered. There was a sudden clanging of pots which startled the both of us.

I looked to the kitchen island where all the pots hung and smiled. "Abra?" Hewie called. He hung upside down from one of the hooks. My mother laughed heartily and I walked over to pick him up.

"I'm sorry. I should have returned sooner with your food. Momma, are you done with your tea? I'll just-"

She held up her hand. "You head upstairs and feed your Pokemon. I'll clean up."

I nodded gratefully and held Hewie to my side like I did earlier in the day. We walked over to the cabinets and I grabbed the individual food bags made specially for each of my Pokemon. Hewie helped by holding some of the bags since I only have one free hand. After filling each of my Pokemon's bowls with food I undressed and lay in bed. It has been such a long time since I last relaxed. If I'm being honest with myself, I can't even remember the last time. But that is the problem. I don't want to relax. I want an adventure. I want to wake up and not know what's going to happen. That's it! It has to be done. "Okay guys, listen up." My Pokemon circled around me, Hewie sitting on my lap. "What do you guys think about traveling Sinnoh? Countless battles, new Pokemon and people!" I stood up holding Hewie under his arms and spinning him around. "New sights! Adventure around every corner!" All my Pokemon cheered. A big smile spread across my face and I hugged Hewie tightly. "It's settled then! We leave tonight."

* * *

I tip-toed down the staircase, careful not to make any squeaky noises against the floor boards. The hallway leading to the door was dimly lit, allowing little visibility. Hewie sat on my foot, holding onto my leg. We reached the door and just as I reached for the knob, I froze. I'm leaving everything behind here. Hopefully where I'm going, they won't know me as 'Dawn Shigeru' the Top Coordinator. In all honesty, that isn't the real me. I can start fresh. I will make something out of myself. And I will find out what my destiny truly is. "Were you going to leave without saying goodbye?"

My breath hitched. On no, caught in the act. How does she know! "I left you a note. I didn't want to hurt you." My voice was small. I could feel her place her hand on my shoulder, beckoning me to turn around. But, I'm afraid I'll cry if I look at her.

"I spoke to your father on the phone." My head shot up and I turned to her.

"Y-You talked to dad?"

She smiled. "He is so proud of you, Dawn. He wanted me to congratulate you on your previous win for him. When I told him you were going to travel Sinnoh, he sent these." I looked down at her hands. Two shrunken Poke balls rested there, along with a note.

With both Poke balls in either hand, I pressed the buttons on the front, and they enlarged. "Come on out." I whispered. The Poke balls opened and red beams shot out creating figures on the floor.

"Hitmon!"

"Cyndaquil!" They cooed.

A squeal of excitement from me scared Hewie slightly. "This is perfect! Ohh my gods I'm so happy!"

My mother smiled. "Are you going to give them nicknames?"

"Hmm.. well since Hitmontop is a boy, I'll name him Beau. And since Cyndaquil is a girl, I'll call her Rose."

My mother grinned. "You wouldn't be referring to the amazing Kate Winslet, now would you?"

"You know me too well!" I laughed. "Alright you two. Rest up. We've got a long journey ahead of us." I smiled, returning them to their Poke balls.

Finally, I opened the note hesitantly. It read:

_Dawn! My baby girl is growin' up! You're mother told me about you no longer wanting to compete in Contests. And you know what I say? To HELL with those Contests! You're much too tough to be messin' around with amateurs. Besides, Coordinating isn't a real sport! (Don't tell your mother I said that.) Anyway, I hear you're goin' on your first adventure. So I bare these two gifts. I came across them a while back but since they aren't exactly up my alley of expertise, I've been savin' them for a time like this. They will probably suit you more than me. I'm sorry I can't be with you right now and help you through your troubles. But just know, I'll always be rootin' for ya! Love you. -Pops_

Tears welled in my eyes. "I miss him Momma." It's been so long since I've seen him..

"Me too, Sweetheart. But you understand why we can't be with him, yes?" She asked cautiously.

A sigh escaped my lips. "For my own safety. Although, whoever is doing this, I'm more than positive that I can defend myself."

She shook her head. "That is not a risk your father or I am willing to take." Another sigh. "Once these terrible people are caught, then we will be reunited. But until then, are you all packed? Did you forget anything?" She asked, cupping my cheeks in her hands.

"Nope, I think I got everything." I clipped the two Poke balls in the remaining notches in my backpack. "Well, I'll see you soon."

She hugged me tightly. "Be careful my sweet baby. Good luck with your journeys. Don't forget to check in time to time."

I nodded as I walked down the porch steps. "I promise. I love you, Momma!" She waved and Hewie and I began our journey out of Twinleaf town. I took a deep breath. "Well Hewie, there is nothing stopping us now."

**So I gotta say, I'm really excited about this one. Hopefully ****y'all are just as excited to read it! I know this isn't a very popular pairing but what can I say? Anyway, hopefully everyone enjoyed and stay tuned for more! -A**


	2. Electricity

-Three Days Ago-

**Dawn's P.O.V.**

Rain pattered against the bare flesh on my arms and legs. As the rain droplets slide down my flesh, goosebumps rose in their wake. I'm not exactly dressed for such rainy weather. Hewie sat on my lap, his legs wrapped around my waist while he took a nap. Luckily, I was able to buy a rain coat small enough to fit him, keeping him perfectly dry. The streets of Pastoria City were completely bare. No one is stupid enough to be sitting out in the rain like this. Lights shone from the houses on either side of the street. Despite the dark sky, it's only around noon.

Sloshed footsteps began to get closer to me. I looked towards the front entrance of the city and saw an old friend making his way to me. His orange and white striped sweater shone in the darkness, along with his green scarf. I chuckled softly at his hair being spiked on either side. He always has had an odd fashion sense. His black umbrella covered both him and his Turtwig that walked by his side. He took a seat next to me on one of the many benches, sharing the dryness under his umbrella. "You called, Princess?" I smiled softly. Before he left at the age of thirteen along with Lucas, another dear friend of mine, Barry and I were the best of friends. Being the new kid at such a young age wasn't exactly easy until he and Lucas took me in as one of them. We were three peas in a pod. The three of us would play all Summer long. Our favorite game was when I was the 'princess' and Lucas and Barry would switch on and off being the 'super hero' or 'villain'. Around the time when we were ten, Professor Rowan of Sandgem Town took Lucas on as an apprentice, leaving Barry and I. At the age of thirteen, Barry and Lucas both received their very first Pokemon. That was the year they left me to begin their journey as trainers. I had never felt so alone. That same day, after feeling depressed, I went to my mother and asked her to drive me to Hearthome City. My debut Contest was against the three best Coordinators in Sinnoh. Hewie and I came in first place, beating the reining champion by a land slide. To my surprise, that night Barry and Lucas both called me, congratulating me. They've been so supportive ever since. "What's been ailing you?"

A small smile appeared on my face. He has always been able to tell when something was wrong. "Barry? Have you ever felt empty inside?" He looked at me slightly confused. "What I mean is, have you ever poured your heart and soul into something, but in the end, it wasn't worth it? And then that feeling sets in where you feel like you've accomplished nothing and no matter how hard you try to see the positive, its always shadowed over by the negatives?"

Barry smiled sadly, patting Turtwig on the head. "My most recent battle. I was in Snowpoint City battling Candice and her last Pokemon, Abomasnow. Floatzel was my last Pokemon. I put everything I had in that battle, but in the end.. I lost. Abomasnow was too powerful. For a while, I didn't believe it. Denial was my best friend. I thought everything I had worked at up until that point was a complete waste. If I couldn't beat Candice, then there was no way I could beat the Elite Four and become a Pokemon Champion."

"What did you do to snap out of it." I asked, feeling a new sense of hope.

He chuckled softly. "I grew up. I realized that all I need to do is believe in myself and the abilities of my Pokemon. I'm done with bloating about how powerful I am and how cool my Pokemon are. To be quite honest, I'm not that strong. You could blow me away in a battle. Which is why I'm taking a break from battling. I'm going back to Twinleaf to spend some time with my family. It's been years since I last visited. Besides, my Pokemon and I could use the training." There was a loud buzzing. He checked his Poketch. "Speaking of family, I'm running a bit late. I'm sorry I couldn't be of more help."

I held my hands up. "No no! You've done more than help me."

"You'll break out of this slump eventually. But I'm afraid I'll have to take my leave." Barry stood up, standing in front of me. He rested his free hand on my shoulder, bending down and resting his lips on my forehead. "Till next time, Princess." I smiled as I watched him and Turtwig walk off into the mist west towards Hearthome City.

A sigh escaped my lips. I stood, holding Hewie securely to my body. He stirred slightly but continued on sleeping. The downpour turned to a light drizzle but its no use now. My entire body is drenched in rain water. At least Hewie is dry and warm. I need a new pair of clothes to change into. Too many people have been noticing me throughout my entire journey. I've only got one last city to go to and that is Sunyshore City. I guess I'll stop in Veilstone City and go to the department stores.

* * *

Hewie smiled softly at my new outfit. "Abra." He said approvingly in his scratchy voice. A smile spread across my face as I looked at myself in the mirror. The store clerk picked the entire outfit out for me. I wore a sleeveless creme polyester shirt with lace at the collarbone with black soft cotton shorts that had creme floral print all over. For the shoes, I wore creme colored vans. Finally, to top everything off, I wore my hair completely straight down with my bangs pushed back into small bump with a black headband.

"Well, Hew, lets go check out." I took off the clothes, folded them back up, picked Hewie up and walked to the cash register. The guy at the register didn't look up at me while he scanned and bagged my items.

"Alright that'll be.." His voice trailed off when he looked up. "Y-You're Dawn Shigeru! Where have you been? The contests aren't the same anymore without you!"

I gasped, looking around to see if anyone heard. Luckily no one was paying attention. "Please, I'm kind of in a hurry. So how much?"

He shook his head. "On the house. You're freaking Dawn Shigeru!"

"Shigeru?"

"As in the famous Coordinator?"

"Holy shit there she is!"

My heart sank. This is not what I wanted. I placed forty dollars on the counter and turned to leave the store. But because of my luck, an entire hoard of people blocked my way, yelling out to me.

"Why aren't you competing anymore?"

"Dawn! Can I have your autograph?"

"I want to take on your Abra with my Houndoom!"

Hewie whimpered, grabbing at my shirt. He buried his face in my neck, avoiding the flashing of cameras. This has gotten so out of hand. I pushed my way through the crowd, trying to be polite. As I broke out of the crowd, I made a dash to the door. After running out of the store, I bumped into two guys. "I'm terribly sorry." My voice was strained.

The taller one with red hair smiled. "Don't worry about it. But hey, you wouldn't happen to be Shigeru, Dawn would you?"

Oh great. "Yea. That's me."

The guy with blonde hair chuckled. "You seem to be in a hurry. Where are you headed?" His voice was deep and raspy.

What is with these guys? They are kinda creepy. "I was actually just leaving. Pleasure meeting you two." I said quickly, walking past them into the women's bathroom.

I changed into my new outfit, feeling refreshed. Hopefully no one will notice me in this. "Abra?" His voice was scratchy. He held out his arms and I picked him up, holding him close to my side.

"Always, Hewie."

We made our way to the elevator. Just before the door could close, a hand shot through the gap and opened it back up. Panic crept through me slightly as the same two guys from earlier stepped in. "Fancy seeing you in here, Miss Shigeru." He put emphasis on the 'Shigeru'. For what reason, I don't know. They don't- no that couldn't be possible.

I chuckled nervously, holding Hewie a bit tighter. The elevator door opened and I stepped out. "Pleasure meeting you two but I must be off." I said quickly, hurrying out the exit.

They jogged to catch up to me. "Where are you headed?"

Lie. "Hearthome City." I was surprised at how calm my voice sounded, despite my worry.

"What a coincidence. We are headed there as well. We should walk together." The red head decided.

I shook my head. "I'm sorry but Hewie and I do better on our own. Besides, we would just slow you two done. Anyway, goodbye." I walked fast south of Veilstone City, finally making it to the next Route. As I slowed my pace, Hewie began to freak out. I set him down and held onto his hands. "Hewie! What is going on?" I asked frantically. "Are you hurt? Scared?"

I heard the bang of some type of gun. I watched in terror as a dart pierced Hewie in the arm. "Abra!" He called out in pain, falling to his back on the ground.

"Hewie!" My voice echoed through the bare Route. Tears welled in my eyes as I pulled the dart from his arm, throwing it to the ground. I turned to the two monsters, anger bubbling through my veins. "What did you just shoot my Pokemon with!?"

The blonde smiled. "A very strong poison. It won't knock your Pokemon out, but it will be agonizingly painful." I sunk to the ground, crawling to Hewie and holding him in my arms. "So tell us Miss 'Shigeru', what have you been lying to everyone about your entire life?"

"What are you talking about?" My voice cracked. "What do you want with me?"

They smiled deviously. "We want you, Miss Shigeru. Or should I call you Miss Surge?" No. My heart sank. This isn't happening.. "You see Team Galactic's leader, Cyrus, has had multiple problems concerning your father, Lt. Surge. In the past, we've kidnapped the children of Gym Leaders for ransom. They shoveled in whatever we asked for. Just recently, we kidnapped Norman, of Petalburg City Gym's children, May and Max. He and his wife gave us everything we asked for. So in return, their children were returned unharmed. But now it is your turn, Dawn. Surge and Johanna did a damn well job of hiding you from us all these years. Funny to think that one slip up of a security guard at the police station, could ruin seventeen years of an effort. If you come quietly, we won't have to hurt you."

So these are the people I've been hiding from my entire life. It's almost unbelievable to think they've tracked me down. This isn't happening! "I won't.." The blonde shook his head, grabbing a Pokeball from his belt. I reached into my bag and grabbed Hewie's ball, returning him to it. It is too dangerous for him out here. After putting Hewie's Pokeball away, I grabbed a different one and pressed the small button on the front. I know you won't let me down. "Go Rose!" I threw the Pokeball up in the air, smirking as the it opened and flames circled around Typhlosion. She dropped to the ground, smashing it with her fist. Rose stood tall on her hind legs, roaring at the two Galactic grunts.

I saw a shred of fear cross the blonde's eyes. He threw his Pokeball in the air, releasing a Noctowl. "Noctowl, use air slash!"

"Rose! Dodge and use flamethrower!" The Noctowl zipped towards Rose. At the last second she jumped, spinning rapidly over the Noctowl. The flames on the back of her neck created a ring of fire around her while she spun. In mid air, she broke the spin, her head facing the ground, and unleashed a ferocious flamethrower at the unsuspecting Owl Pokemon. Noctowl dropped to the ground, fainted, as Rose dropped to the ground gracefully on her feet. I may not be a Coordinator anymore, but that doesn't mean I don't train my Pokemon to be graceful during battles.

The blonde's mouth fell open, shock etched on every inch of his face. "Noctowl, return." He said disappointingly.

After praising her, I returned Rose to her Pokeball. The red head scoffed at his partner. He looked at me and grinned. "Be as it may, it is obvious that we can't beat you in a Pokemon battle. But unlike other crime organizations, ours take pride in teaching the art of combat. You're just a seventeen year old pipsqueak. Since you don't want to come calmly, we will take you by force." They sprinted at me. Run!

I began running through the tall grass, avoiding every wild battle that came across. Hopefully the Pokemon slow down those freaks. My legs burned as I sprinted into the trees, hoping they would conceal my location. My breathing was heavy and the footsteps of the two grunts made my heart beat faster. Who knows what they will do if they catch me. One of them chuckled loudly. "Come out now or else." That is a stupid request. "I'm calling back up. You aren't going to be able to get out of this forest without being seen." Within minutes, Galactic reinforcements were searching through the forest. I stayed quiet and unseen. But I don't know how long I'll be able to do it.

* * *

-Present Day-

Three days. I've been stuck in this bloody forest for three days. Luckily I found fresh water. But there hasn't been a god damn single edible berry. My stomach must have resorted to eating itself by now. There have been a few close calls with the grunts but I've always managed to get away. But now my Pokemon are incredibly tired. They've battled non stop and I think they are finally reaching their breaking point. Hewie has only gotten worse. If anything bad happens to him, Team Galactic will pay. If I want to get him help, I need to get out of here.

Darkness began to fall. There isn't going to be a moon tonight. Flashlights shone all throughout the forest, casting long creepy shadows all throughout the trees. Tonight is the night I escape. I know which way is the exit towards Pastoria City. If I got there, I can make a beeline for the Pokemon Center and call the police.

There was a clearing in the area I needed to go. I quietly slid down the tree I was in and made a dash for the exit. I heard, what sounded like a Houndoom, barking and then I heard the footsteps. Just as I broke the treeline, I felt an immense pain just under my shoulder blade. When I glanced back, an Arbok was sitting, waiting in the trees. They set a trap! What douches! I cringed at the poisoned needles lodged into my skin. Wow this shit hurts.

To say visibility was low would be an understatement. I can literally only see a foot in front of me in this darkness. Luckily, I was able to make it past Valor Lake. But those grunts are still after me. I finally made it to the Hotel Grand Lake property before slipping down a cliff. The poison needles go lodged further into my skin after I landed on my back at the bottom of the cliff. I could feel the poison begin to make its way through my body. Things began getting blurry. My entire left arm became immobilized, burning in pain.

I looked around in the darkness, hearing the barking approaching. A light caught my eye. Is that a.. lighthouse? New found hope spread through my heart. Maybe someone there can help me! I got up, fighting through the pain beginning to take over my body, and began running towards the lighthouse. It took me a while to realize where I was once I was jogging through the streets. So this is what Sunyshore City looks like.

Out of no where, I felt a vine wrap around my ankle. A small scream escaped my lips as I fell to the ground, a Pokeball falling from my backpack. Galactic grunts stood a few yards away, one of their Roselia's vines wrapped around my foot. The Pokeball from my bag opened. Bolt emerged, sparks circling around him. He breathed heavily. No surprise. He hasn't been to a Pokemon Center in three days. He hasn't even had a good rest. "Roselia, Magical Leaf." It's trainer said. Bolt didn't hear, so he wasn't paying attention. Roselia withdrew her vine and unleashed a wave of colorful leaves at Bolt. Without thinking, I jumped in front of him. The leaves sliced at my skin, leaving bloodied gashes in their wake. My body collapsed, the poison and leaves finally taking their toll.

Bolt looked down at me, nudging his face against mine. Blood from the gash on my cheek stained his soft navy blue fur. I raised my hand and stroked behind his ear. "Bring me your Pokeball and I'll return you. It'll be okay. You don't have to battle anymore." My voice was hoarse. Something changed in Luxray's eyes. He stepped in front of me, facing Team Galactic. Electricity sparked all around his body. With a vicious roar, he unleashed electricity in every direction. The electricity tore through the road, leaving deep cracks. It hit telephone poles, causing them to spark and fry up. Finally, it ripped through the Galactic grunts, electrocuting them and their Pokemon. Not a single one stood up. The entire city went dark after the attack. Including the Lighthouse. It was a blackout. Black smoke rose form the telephone poles and from the cement road. Luxray stumbled over to me. He helped me up and we walked down the street. I could feel myself about to pass out so we both stumbled into the closest building. Not five steps in, Bolt and I collapsed to the floor, darkness encasing us.

**Okay so the whole thing with Lt. Surge being Dawn's father is kinda random but I needed it that way to fit the story. Regardless, I hope you all enjoyed. -A**


	3. Poisoned

_"Dawn, can you come here please?" I walked to the living room in our new, cozy house. My parents sat on the couch next to each other. A small, perfectly wrapped box sat on my mother's lap. They remembered! "Happy birthday, Sweetheart." Papa picked me up and placed me on his lap. I hugged him tightly, thanking him._

_Momma rubbed her thumb across my cheek, before holding the gift out to me. "For you." I took it and placed it on my lap. The pink sparkly wrapping paper was torn to shreds within seconds. I opened the lid to the box and stared down confused at its contents. My small hand reached down and picked up the miniature ball. "It's a Pokeball." Momma informed. She pressed the small button and the Pokeball grew. I had to hold it with both hands, not wanting it to fall. _

_Papa smiled at Momma. "Go ahead. Throw it up in the air." He instructed. With some hesitation, I tossed the Pokeball up my eyes widening. The Pokeball opened in the air, a beam of red light shooting out of it, creating a figure on the ground. I caught the now closed Pokeball as it floated back down to me. A Pokemon now sat on the ground, looking up at me with small slits for eyes. Most all of his body was yellow, adorned with dark brown shoulders, resembling shoulder pads. He had three long, claw-like, toes and fingers. His tail was long and had a brown band near the top. "This is an Abra. He is going to take a lot of training and patience but he will be loyal to only you. He will protect you and be possibly the best companion anyone could ask for." A large smile spread across my face. "Are you going to name him?" Papa placed me on the wooden floor, allowing me to closer observe my new friend. _

_I walked over to him cautiously. He tilted his head to the side as he watched me. My small hands reached out, gently grabbing his ears. The Pokemon mimicked my actions, taking a light hold of my ears. When I released, he did the same. Next, I poked his nose. He copied. I patted his head and he patted mine. A playful laugh echoed through the room and I wrapped my arms around his neck, hugging him tightly. "I love him so much!" I exclaimed, turning to my parents with him still in my arms. My parents laughed, shaking their heads. "Thank you so much!" I pulled away and looked at my new best friend. "I'm going to call you 'Hewie'. Mmkay?"_

_"Abraa." He said in a scratchy voice. I'll take that as an 'okay'!_

My eyes shot open. "Hewie?" I called out. I drowsily lifted myself up, cringing at the pain in my shoulder. Where am I? Candles lit the room dully. It must still be night time. "Hewie?" My voice was raspy and strained. My eyes strained to see around the room in the darkness. They landed on my backpack. Immediately, I reached for it, unzipping the front compartment. Panic swept through my body, encasing me when my Pokeballs were gone. "Hewie!" I called out frantically. "Bolt! Red! Beau!" Where are they?

With some difficulty, I managed to crawl out of the bed. I used the wall as support to navigate my way through the dark room. After what seemed like hours, I made it out the door. "Bandit? Rose?" My head spun in all directions. I was beginning to see in twos.

After wandering down a long, spooky hallway, I came to a giant room. My hand landed on a light switch. I frantically flipped the switch but to no avail. Ohh.. yea. Bolt caused a black out. Well that explains the candles in that room. But that doesn't answer why my Pokemon are missing or where I am. "Hewie?" I called out softly. My voice echoed regardless in the giant room. I can't see the other end of the room because of this darkness. It probably would have been a good idea to bring a candle with me but I'm too far along now. Instead I chose to hug the wall until my hand hits a round, cold doorknob.

The door is silent as I slowly push forward, opening it carefully. My breath hitches at the limited sight in front of me. From what I can make of it, a incredibly large flat screen T.V. sits across a long couch, strung up against the wall. The couch seems to be a deep blue, about six meters in length. I take this is the living room. And across it, a few meters, lies the kitchen. This layout reminds me very much of the studio apartment my mother and I lived in before we moved to Twinleaf. They are usually cozy and meant for one or two people. But this person has an entire addition to this. Maybe even more than what I saw.

An island sat in the middle of the kitchen, different china spread over it. A few dirty dishes sat in the sink, waiting to be cleaned. The smell of bread and fruit, an odd combo, wafted through the air towards me. The person who lives here probably didn't want the fruit to go bad. But it has only been a few hours since the blackout. I'm sure the fruit could have stayed fresh for a long while more.

Suddenly, a static sound caught my attention. I quietly tiptoed towards the sound. A blueish white light shone through the cracks of a slightly ajar door. With a deep breath, I looked through the opening. A man sat with his back to me. The only thing I can see is his black silhouette but there is no doubt it is a man. His arm slowly cranked a small lever on the side of a moderate sized television. A crankable television? How old is this guy? I haven't seen one of those since I was real young. And even then they were scarce. A woman's voice talked aloud to the viewers. "Hello everyone. This is Marzia Ryder of News 9. The search for missing teen, Dawn Shigeru, is still in full effect. Six days ago she was spotted by fans in Veilstone City's department store. Shigeru has been absent from Contests for nearly eleven months with no explanation. Three days ago, there was a city-wide blackout in Sunyshore City. At first, the people believed it was the fault of gym leader, Volkner Denzi. Now police investigators are beginning to believe the blackout may be in some way involved with the disappearance of Dawn Shigeru. If you catch sight of her or know her location, please contact you local police station. This is Marzia-" I've been unconscious for three days!?

The static sound returned when the man ceased to crank the TV. He scoffed, smashing his fist on the table in front of him, startling me. "Typical. Of course they'd think it was my fault. They think anything concerning electrical malfunctions is my fault." His voice was deep and husky, holding a certain sadness. The kind of sadness my voice once held. "I'm just so tired of this. I just want to give up and be done with it all." He sighed, gripping his spiky hair. "I should probably-" I began to slowly back away from the door. I can't stick around for too long. Once I find my Pokemon, I'm heading out.

My entire body froze. A low growling echoed through my ears, coming from behind me. I breathed out shakily, turning to see a Raichu looking up at me. His cheeks sparked crazily, yellow illuminating part of the room. "Raui-chu!" He growled. My heart nearly pounded out of my chest as I dodged its Brick Break.

"What's going on?" The man's voice called out. Instantly, I lowered to the ground, holding my hand out to the Raichu. He walked up to me curiously, his cheeks no longer sparking. He sniffed my fingers, examining them thoroughly. A smile made its way to my face when the Raichu rubbed his face against my hand. I petted him softly, feeling calmer than I have since I woke up. He suddenly ran towards the ajar door. He is going to get that man! I have to get my Pokemon and leave. I tried to stand, but the crippling pain in my shoulder blade surprised me. A strangled cry left my mouth before I realized it. The man walked in with a large flashlight. "Come on Raichu, what's..." The man looked down at me, his deep blue eyes dull in the lack of light. His mouth was slightly open as he stared, why, I don't know. He wore his blonde hair in spikes at the top, with two longer sections in the front hanging at the sides. His eyebrows arched downwards, making it seem as if he were always scowling. A deep scar cut through the right side of his lips, stretching slightly when he talked. I averted my eyes, as though not to stare too long. "What do you think you're doing?" His voice definitely matches his looks. He is almost intimidating, but I'm not scared by much anymore.

I took a deep breath, trying to calm my nerves. "Where are my Pokemon?" I'm surprised at how steady my voice was.

He looked at me blankly. "I asked you first." My eyes wandered up to him, my eyebrows furrowed.

"And how old are you? Real mature." I spat. I don't have time for these games.

He kneeled down to my level. His eyes shifted to my hand that reached to my shoulder blade. "What do you think you're doing?" He asked again, his face unconcerned.

A frustrated sigh came out. We are obviously not going to get anywhere if this continues. If he wants to give me sass, I'll give it right back. "Sitting on your kitchen floor." I said.

His lip twitched slightly. "Why?"

"Cause I felt like it. And because your Pokemon attacked me." My voice was cold.

The man chuckled at me. "I don't blame him." He retorted.

"Now you listen here-" I started, trying to stand. The pain in my shoulder shocked me again, eliciting a whimper.

He rolled his eyes. "You should be in bed still."

"Listen, just give me back my Pokemon, and we will be on our way." I could see hesitation in his eyes.

"I don't know if I should give you back your Pokemon." My mouth fell open.

"Why the hell not!?" I barked.

The man squinted his eyes towards me. "When I found you, unconscious, lying in front of my door, I also found your terribly kept Pokemon. They're all exhausted beyond belief, the Luxray next to you could hardly breathe, and another was near death. Now let me ask you, if you were in my position, would you give these Pokemon back?" His words were laced with venom.

I think he thinks I mistreat my Pokemon. Hell, that is sure what it looks like. Oh gods what have I gotten myself into? "I am begging you, let me see my Pokemon." Desperation spilled from each word. He sighed, lowering his head slightly.

* * *

We walked in silence through a dark hallway. My heart pounded in my chest, keeping me on edge. "Your Abra is in pretty bad shape. He is not exactly easy to reason with. He won't accept any help from me so I haven't been able to give him and potions or antidotes." My heart sank at his words. "I meant to take him to the Pokemon Center but the police have closed access to the roads. They just reopened them a few hours ago."

He lead me to a small room, different machines lining the walls. Tears collected in my eyes when I saw Hewie laying on a metal table. A small light blue blanket encased him. He shivered violently. "H-Hewie?" My voice cracked.

Hewie looked up instantly. I felt tears trickle down my cheeks at the sight of him trying to stand and walk to me. "Abraa." His voice was strained and weak. I ran to him, wrapping my arms around his small fragile body.

"I'm so sorry this happened to you, Hewie. I'm so sorry." I cried. He smiled slightly and buried his face in the crook of my neck like he has done so many times before. I held Hewie on my side, his legs wrapped around my waist. "Where are my other Pokemon?" I asked the man. He walked to a small metal ball and typed in a lengthy code. The metal sphere shaped box opened, revealing my other five Pokeballs in a neat circle. Raichu came waddling in with my backpack. "Thank you." I said to him. I minimized the Pokeballs and hooked them in their respective spots in the bag. A burning pain rushed throughout my shoulder as the bag rubbed against it, causing me to cringe. Beads of sweat collected on my forehead and neck. The man observed me closely, watching my every movement.

For a brief moment, we made eye contact. His deep blue eyes held a strong depression, reminding me so much of myself in my prior life. I looked away quickly once I realized how long I'd been staring. If it bothered him, he didn't show it.

After everything was set and Hewie secured to my side, I turned to the man. "Thank you. For everything. I really appreciate it and I'll pay you back one day for your kindness." He said nothing, only stared. His eyes burning a hole on my head. I nodded uncomfortably, and turned towards the exit of the small room.

"I'm going with you." He stated. My body froze and I turned back to him, my eyebrows furrowed.

"Why?" I asked, a little to crudely.

He walked past me. "'Cause I still don't exactly trust you with those Pokemon. And you probably can't navigate yourself out of the building." He mocked. I grumbled under my breath but proceeded to follow him.

We walked in silence through a multitude of different hallways until we finally reached the front entrance. I remember it faintly from when I first arrived with Luxray. My heart pounded in my chest as we walked through the doors. What if those Team Galactic goons are still out here, waiting? The thought made my skin crawl and I nonchalantly walked a bit closer to the man. If he noticed, he made no attempt to move away, which strangely comforted me.

The man lead me through the dark streets. All the street lamps are out, thanks to me. The only building lit up was the Pokemon Center. They must have a back-up generator. Hewie shook violently against me. We rushed into the Pokemon Center are were greeted kindly by Nurse Joy.

She looked from Hewie to me and her eyes darkened. I breathed heavily but wasn't able to tell what from. "Please," I gasped, "Help him." She nodded, transferring him to her own side while I placed my other Pokeballs on the tray. A Chansey came by, grabbed the tray, and followed Nurse Joy into the emergency room.

I stood there breathing out hoarsely, my hands trembling. Please Hewie, be okay.

The man placed his hand to my forehead, startling me. I swatted it away, but my movements were sluggish. I began seeing twos. "You've turned real pale. And you've got a cold sweat along with what felt like a fever." He sounded distant, far away. I could feel myself leaning to one side and my feet stumbled to catch me from falling.

I shook my head, trying to concentrate on his eyes. My knees gave out but never hit the ground. Strong arms wrapped around me, keeping me steady. My eyes closed, but didn't open.

**Alright, so hopefully everyone enjoyed. Sorry for the delay. -A**


	4. Wake Up

I watched her lifeless body lay on the metal table. Her skin was a sickly pale color, beads of sweat dampening her hairline. Her shirt was cut, exposing her shoulder. Tiny holes on her shoulder blade were swollen, red irritated skin around each one. Nurse Joy stood over her with furrowed eyebrows. She flicked a syringe a few times, before holding the needle at the base of the girl's neck. "Hold her hands down. This will hurt her." I nodded, pulling the girl's arms towards me, and holding them down firmly on the table.

At first she didn't react when Joy pierced her skin with the needle, but as soon as the fluid began to flow out of the syringe, her eyes shot open. I hardly had to hold her arms down. She had little to no strength as she struggled. Tears fell freely from her dark blue eyes. The dark blue orbs landed on me, but she wasn't really seeing me. When the last of the fluid had been injected, Joy pulled out the syringe. The girl cried out, her body convulsing violently. Within seconds, her body went limp once more. Her dark eyes stared at the wall, tears dripping onto the metal table. Joy sighed, handing me a large amount of paper towels. "In a few minutes, the serum will take full effect. When it does, the poison will be pushed out of her system through the small holes here," she pointed to them, "When that happens, I need you to wipe it away. Just throw the used towels into a trash bin and I'll burn them when it's done. If she comes to, try to keep her mind off the pain." I nodded at her instructions, not taking my eyes off the girl.

Now that I think about it, I don't even know her name. And she doesn't know mine. The sound of the door opening and closing echoed through the room. I relaxed my body, not realizing how tense I had gotten.

For a short while, I simply stared at her. A black headband held her dark blue hair back firmly, despite the few pieces that had gone astray. The way her eyes stayed open but didn't move an inch worried me. Her breathing had steadied but soon began to pick up. I looked closer at her shoulder, noticing dark purple sludge beginning to slide down her back. She blinked, trying to sit up. She cried out, collapsing back down to the table. "You shouldn't be moving." I said quietly.

Her eyes wandered to me slowly, analyzing every inch of my face. I took note of the obvious agonizing pain in them, feeling a twinge of guilt in my stomach for being so cold. "M-My Pokemon-" Her lips quivered. She sluggishly reached her hand towards me. "Where?" She cringed, letting out a strangled groan as more sludge oozed from her shoulder blade. I gripped her hand tightly, reminding her she wasn't alone.

I wiped away the sludge as it came. "What is your favorite thing to do?" I asked quietly, trying to distract her.

She chuckled painfully. "What's yours?"

A smile smile found its way to my lips. "Fair enough. My favorite thing to do would have to be staring at the ocean from the lighthouse." She looked up to me, nodding her head slowly.

"That sounds nice." Her voice was weak. She cried out as her body convulsed again, more sludge sliding down to her back.

Her grip on my hand tightened. "Hey, hey." I whispered, trying to get her attention. "How about when this ends, and I fix the electricity, I take you up to the lighthouse?" I don't know exactly why I offered, but it seems like the right thing to do. She nodded her head slowly, a slight pink blush covering her pale cheeks. I cleared my throat uncomfortably. "So what's your name?"

She quickly averted her eyes from me to the wall. "What's yours?"

I chuckled softly and rolled my eyes. "Volkner Denzi." The girl nodded.

"Dawn." She stared into my eyes. "My name is Dawn."

Why does that name sound so familiar? I've heard it somewhere before. "Dawn. Got it. No last name?" My voice was low.

"Not an important one." She laughed softly, which quickly turned to a painful groan as more purple sludge exited her body. I noticed how white her knuckles turned when she squeezed my hand. How she let out tiny gasps when she ran low on air. How her dimples appeared when her lips frowned. How little I really know about her. Yet, here I am. Holding her hand and helping care for her. What happened to her?

Now probably isn't the best time to get into details. I'll have another opportunity.

* * *

**Dawn's P.O.V.**

I'm not sure how much time passed before all the poison had flushed out of my system. It felt like an eternity as I sat there, writhing in pain. But for some reason, he sat there next to me the whole time, holding my hand while I suffered.

Now that the pain has subsided, I feel completely normal. I sat up on the metal table, clamping my hand over the top of my shirt to keep it from falling off. Volkner's cheeks turned a slight shade of pink. He slide his blue jacket off, revealing his plain black t-shirt. I looked up to him appreciatively as he handed me the jacket. "I'll go find Joy." He said in his deep voice. Before I could reply, he was out the door. I slipped the jacket on over my shirt, buttoning it up all the way to my neck.

What am I to do now? Once I get my Pokemon, I have no idea how I'm going to avoid Team Galactic. What if they've gotten to Momma? They might suspect that I'd assume they went to her when they couldn't get me and are waiting to ambush me. Or they could be scattered everywhere in Sinnoh. My best bet is to head straight to Kanto. I need to speak to Father about all this. After all, he is the one team Galactic is-

The door opened, Joy and Volkner walking in. The two of them looked back to the door, a small smile on Joy's face. Tears welled in my eyes as Hewie stepped into the room. "Hewie!" I cried, hopping off the table and running to him. He jumped into my arms, wrapping his arms around my neck. I held him close to my body, never wanting to let him go again. "You're okay. You're okay." I whispered to myself, squeezing him tighter. "Thank you so much, Nurse Joy." She smiled and handed me my backpack, all my Pokeballs already placed inside. Volkner nodded as she left the three of us alone.

"Come on." He said quietly. "You could use some fresh air."

My eyes burned from the bright sunlight. As we walked, Hewie clung to my back while Volkner and I walked side by side. He's at least a foot taller than me. I could feel the tension growing between us, but just as I was about to say something, he spoke up. "So, where were you headed before I found you on my doorstep?" He asked smoothly, keeping his eyes trained in front of him.

"You know, you ask a lot of questions."

He scoffed. "Do you blame me? I mean come on. I found you and your Pokemon all half dead. Your Pokemon was poisoned, you were poisoned. Who wouldn't ask questions." He said defensively. His downward arched eyebrows made it difficult to tell whether or not he was offended.

I shrugged my shoulders. "I guess I don't. I was on my way to Sunyshore City to take on the eighth gym leader. But know things have changed." Heading to Kanto to speak with Father is the best option I have.

Volkner tried holding in a laugh. He stopped walking and looked down at me. "You? Take on the eighth gym leader?"

Heat spread through my face. "Yes. What of it?" I spat. He simply shrugged his shoulders. "You don't think I can do it." He shrugged again. "Fine. I'll just have to prove you wrong." I said confidently.

* * *

We stood in front of the gym. "Well?" Volkner spoke up. "You goin' in or what?" I scoffed, walking through the doors. Sun light illuminated the lobby from the windows on the other side of the room. The view from the windows was that of the ocean. Volkner leaned against the sill, sighing heavily. I stared, nearly mesmerized. His eyes seemed to spark, like electricity, as the light hit them. After a few seconds, I looked away, shaking my head. He stood upright again, leading me down a long hallway. It opened up into a giant room. The entire roof was made of glass, allowing the sunlight to shine through. A few windows were open, letting in a cool breeze. In the middle of the room was a battle arena. Volkner walked to a hook on the wall, and grabbed a belt with four Pokeballs strapped to it. He clipped it loosely to his waist. "Alright, let's see what you got."

My mouth practically hung open. "_You_? _You're_ the gym leader?" He laughed. I'm such an idiot. How did I not realize? "Wait a minute! You don't think I can beat you?" Volkner walked to the end of the arena. I stood in the tiny rectangle protruding from the rectangular arena. I quickly clipped in all my Pokeballs to the belt loosely strapped at my hips. Hewie sat on my shoulders, his head resting atop mine.

"No one has been able to of late. I've actually been considering taking on the Elite Four since no one has been able to beat me." There was a hint of sadness in his voice. "If I win this battle, then I know I can do it." I shook my head. No chance. A smile crept to his face as he reached for his Pokeball. After pressing the small button to enlarge the Pokeball, he threw it to he middle of the arena. "Let's go, Raichu!" He called out, catching the Pokeball as it flew back to him.

Raichu stood in the middle of the arena, his cheeks sparking wildly. "Raui-chu!" I reached for Bandit's Pokeball, clicking the small button on the front.

"Come on out, Bandit!" The Pokeball flew from my hand, the red beam shooting into the air. Garchomp appeared, purple flames surrounding his body. He spun down until his feet gracefully touched the floor. I could see Volkner's smile begin to fade, a look of determination flashing in his eyes.

"Raichu, use Brick Break!" Raichu began sprinting towards Bandit.

I smirked. "Dig." Just as Raichu was about to hit Bandit, he dug straight into the ground. Raichu collided with the floor, accidentally hitting his head in the process. He stumbled around, not able to stand straight. Just as he regained balance, Bandit shot up through the floor. He smashed Raichu in the air with his head. When they were high up in the air, Bandit kicked Raichu down with tremendous force. I cringed as Raichu slammed into the floor, cracking it slightly. Bandit has always taken everything a step too far.

Volkner stared at me, his mouth ajar. "R-Return." He called his Pokemon back, pulling out the next one. "Go, Ambipom!" Ambipom jumped up in down, a smile on his face.

"I choose you, Beau!" As Hitmontop appeared, he jumped upside down and spun like a top. "Beau! Use Rolling Kick!" Beau spun again, speeding towards Ambipom. He extended his legs and his feet continuously hit Ambipom brutally on his body.

"Shock Wave!" Ambipom unleashed electricity at Beau, electrocuting him. Beau jumped backwards, landing a few meters away from Ambipom. He cringed slightly from the electricity still running through him.

This could get bad. "Finish it with Close Combat!" Before Ambipom could react, Beau was in front of him. Beau's fist whacked Ambipom backwards, sending him skidding on the floor.

I looked to Volkner, a look of bewilderment was etched across his face. He returned Ambipom, gripping the next Pokeball tightly. "Octillery, you got this!"

Beau spun over to me and waited until I called him back to his Pokeball. "What do ya say Hew? Up for a battle?" Hewie nodded, sliding of my body and walking to the middle of the arena. He plopped down on the floor, not looking particularly interested. This should be quick.

"Octillery, use Charge Beam!" Volkner instructed. A yellow light formed around Octillery. With a flash, he shot the beam straight at Hewie. Hewie disappeared in thin air. I gasped as the attack was shooting right at me, but was able to dive to the ground in time. "Watch where you're aiming, Volkner!" I yelled across the room annoyed. "Hewie! Use Psychic!"

Hewie appeared standing behind the unsuspecting Octillery, his eyes glowing a dark purple. A colorful wave began to collect in the air above Octillery. The colors mixed together, creating new colors, until an orb was formed. It suddenly dropped atop Octillery's head, shattering into thousands of colored crystals that fell to the ground slowly. Upon contact on the floor, then shattered again, turning to sparkling powder, whisked away by the continuous breeze. Octillery lay knocked out.

Volkner stood there for an extended amount of time, watching as each crystal fell to the floor, before calling his fallen Octillery back. Hewie disappeared once again, reappearing on my shoulders, placing his head atop mine once more.

It was as if a jolt of electricity surged through Volkner's eyes. He gripped his last Pokeball and threw it into the air. "You may have beaten my other Pokemon but there is no way you can beat Luxray!" His Pokemon stood in the middle of the arena, its red eyes glaring straight into mine. I felt Hewie's arm lift towards Luxray and heard his growls.

"No Hewie." I said softly, bringing his hand lightly back down to my shoulder. "This isn't your fight." Which Pokemon should I use? Rose would only do minimal damage, along with Beau. Hewie is already powerful enough. Bandit handles things too roughly at times. I could send Luxray in but that too wouldn't do much damage. Wait a minute...

I've got an idea. I grabbed Red's Pokeball and tossed it up. "Show 'em what you can do, Red!" Gyarados formed on the other side of the arena, and roared mightily.

Volkner looked at me as if I was an idiot. "You can't be serious. A water type against an Electric?" I shrugged my shoulders. Hopefully he is going to be as predictable as I think he is.

"Red! Use Hydro Pump!" Red roared, shooting a blast of water into the air. Luxray and Volkner both watched in confusion. While distracted, Red shot another blast right at Luxray, hitting the Pokemon square in the body. He was blasted backwards, his fur soaked to the core.

Luxray growled loudly. "Use Charge Beam!" Luxray obeyed releasing the beam of electricity.

Gyarados has to get this just right. "Red! Create a twister from spinning!" He obeyed and began spinning rapidly, creating a whirlwind around him. When the Charge Beam came close, it was sucked into the twister, rather than hitting Red. Within a few seconds, the Twister had electricity running all through it. "Now shot it back at him!" I yelled over the wind. Red pointed his tail towards Luxray and let the electric twister fly straight back at Luxray. As soon as the twister touched Luxray's fur, electricity coursed through him. Luxray howled out in pain, crippling to the floor. I felt a twinge of guilt in my stomach. It is never fun injuring a Pokemon.

I smiled slightly as Gyarados slithered to me. He lowered his head, allowing me to stroke his scales. "You did absolutely excellent. Your execution was beautiful!" I encouraged. Hewie patted Red's head as well. "Have a good rest." After returning him to his Pokeball, I looked to Volkner.

He had returned Luxray, and was staring straight at me. The look in his eyes was almost scary. A sudden clapping startled me, tearing my eyes from his. I looked to the hallway we walked from. A man with pale skin and a fire red afro leaned on the door frame. He stopped clapping and began to walk slowly towards Volkner, eyeing me as he took each step."Well done, little lady." He came to a stop in front of Volkner. "How does it feel to lose to a kid?" The guy joked, elbowing Volkner in the shoulder.

"I'm not a child. I'm seventeen. I may not be an adult, but I'm obviously far more mature than you." My voice was cold.

At this time, Volkner spoke up. "I didn't lose. She had to have cheated! There is no way she could have beaten me! Especially with a stage one Abra on her team! There is no way her Pokemon are that high leveled!" He growled.

Anger raged through me. I marched across the arena straight up to Volkner, leaning on my toes to appear taller. "Don't you dare bring my Pokemon into this. I beat you fair and square. I think you're just a sore loser who can't take it!" I raised my voice.

"Ohh please, Dawn! Your Abra got lucky! It doesn't add up!"

A dark purple aura surrounded Volkner's body. He struggled, unable to move. "Hewie! No!" I scolded, pointing my finger at my Pokemon. His dark purple eyes closed again, the aura disappearing. I turned back to Volkner. "You don't know the half of what my Pokemon and I have been through. You don't know how many countless hours I've spent training my Pokemon to be the best they can be. So until you know all the facts, keep your trap shut."

Flint raised his eyebrows. "Dawn? Hewie..? You! It's _you_! Dawn Shigeru! You're the best Top Coordinator in the world. I've watched all your contests! How did I not recognize you? You've been gone for like eleven months now. You're the youngest Top Coordinator to date. No one has been able to beat you for three years straight!"

"Stop." My voice was strained. "That is not who I am anymore." I began to back away, but stopped briefly. I stripped off Volkner's jacket, throwing it at him. "Thanks for your help earlier. But now I'd prefer that you pretend we never met." My voice was cold as I turned away from the two. Hewie ran to me and jumped in my arms. We walked out of the gym together. What a jerk. How could he think I cheated? Why does no one understand that it doesn't matter what you are on the outside. It's how strong you are on the inside that counts. "Hewie, we need to go to Kanto."

**Volkner's P.O.V.**

"Now that I think about it, I haven't seen you this hyped up and emotional over something in a long time. It's much better than your usual depressed attitude." Flint stated. He crossed his arms and gave me a questioning look. "Any idea why the Dawn Shigeru was battling you? The girl has been absent from contests for eleven months and it turns out she is here?"

I scoffed, walking over to a healing machine. I developed the machine that Joy uses at the Pokemon Center. Keeping one in the gym makes it more convenient. I placed my four Pokeballs in the slots and typed in the code, starting the machine. Flint watched uninterested. "She was staying here at the gym for around three days."

Flint raised his eyebrows. "Isn't she a bit young for you?" Heat rushed to my cheeks.

"You're crazy! As if I would ever consider being with an immature child." I yelled. The beeping signaled the end of the healing. I placed my Pokeballs back on the belt around my waist and walked out of the gym arena. Flint followed me to my living space.

"Dude, I was joking. Besides, she said she was seventeen and you're nineteen. Totally appropriate. Although, I don't think she is an 'immature child'. I don't know what battle you were watching, but she knows what she is doing. She predicted every move you made, then created a counter attack to it. If she takes on the Elite Four, there is no doubt in my mind she will be the Champion." I sighed, looking out at the ocean from the window. She beat me so easily. I guess I got too cocky and it backfired on me. "Wait a minute.. She has been missing for almost a week now. Last she was seen was in Vielstone City. Now she turns up here all of a sudden?"

"I found her and her Pokemon almost dead at my door three days ago. Last night I took her and her Pokemon to the Pokemon Center. She passed out from some type of poisoning. Joy said it was from a high leveled Arbok. I took her back here, we battled, and now she is gone." There was a hint of sadness in my voice. Something about her perky and stubborn attitude distracted me from my problems. "I have no idea how she got to be in that state. Although, the night I found her was the same night the Power went out. And when I found her, she had a Luxray next to her. That Pokemon is more than capable of causing a system wide blackout. Mine has done it a few times."

Flint plopped down on my couch, propping his feet up on my coffee table. Annoyed, I kicked them off, sitting down next to him. He was silent for a few minutes, his fingers holding his chin lightly. His nails were painted black, which contrasted drastically from his pale skin and fire red hair. "You know what I think you should do?" I raised an eyebrow. "You should go and find her. She can't have gotten far." I was about to protest but he held a hand in front of my face, which I swatted away angrily. "This girl obviously wakes you up. I haven't seen you this passionate and hyped about anything since our early teens. I don't know if you've realized it, but you've been a real 'Debbie Downer' of late. Always moping around the gym, not letting any trainers in. The council was considering letting you go for a while. Do you know how hard I had to convince them otherwise? You owe it to me to go out and find that girl."

I sighed, looking at my best friend of all these years. His eyes were sort of pleading, like he needed me to do this for him. With a small shake of my head, I stood up. "Fine, I'll go find her. I should probably apologize anyway." Flint gave me a wide smile and a thumbs up.

"Good luck buddy! I'll hold the gym down."

Hopefully she will forgive me. I don't really know what to say or how to go about approaching her. But I think I have some notion as to where she might be.

**Alright so hopefully everyone enjoyed. Till next time -A**


	5. Quarrels

The salty ocean breeze ran through my hair, knotting it slightly. Hewie sat on the window sill, looking out towards the ocean. I pulled the jacket I'd just bought closer to my body, trying to keep warm. Ships sailed by, going about their business. I had to come here before I left. I've never been in a lighthouse before. Like the Pokemon center, the lighthouse has a backup generator. I can't say I'm too fond of the height, but that's, for the most part, easily overlooked. In the distance, the sound of a ringing bell echoed into the sky. It reminds me of the bell that would ring during contests to signal that time was up. I can't say I miss contests. If anything, I'm glad to be rid of them.

People tranquilly walked around inside the lighthouse. But for the most part, I'm by myself on the highest level. It's quite peaceful up here. The smell of the ocean, the breeze, the calm atmosphere. It isn't something you get to see everyday. "I thought I might find you up here." A low, husky voice said softly. I felt my cheeks heat up.

"What? Not finished telling me how I cheated?" My voice was cold. His footsteps were light, making their way next to me. Hewie growled, opening his dark purple eyes. Before he could do anything, I held my hand out, signaling him to stop. "What happened to the whole 'pretending we never met' thing? Was I not clear enough?"

Volkner scoffed. "If you'd stop talking for two minutes, I'd be able to apologize."

"Why don't you take that apology an shove it up your-" I turned to see his face. My words were caught in my throat at the sight of his expression.

His eyes stared out the window lifelessly. He was hunched over, his head hanging low. His eyebrows were furrowed and his hands clenched. The ends of his lips were tugged down into a frown. "Why didn't you tell me you're the missing girl? Or that you're the best Top Coordinator in the world?" His voice was low.

"We all have our secrets, don't we?" I mumbled, looking up to him. He looked away uneasily.

"Regardless," he started, changing the subject, "I have to take you to the police station."

My eyes widened. I opened my mouth to protest but a cold voice spoke up. A voice I wish I didn't remember. "The only place she is going, is with us." I turned slowly to see the two grunts from before standing behind Volkner and I. They wore devious smiles. "You are quite the troublemaker, Dawn. So come with us and we will forget everything. That's all you have to do." The red haired grunt pulled out the same gun that was used to poison Hewie before. "Now call back your Pokemon, or the past will repeat itself." Panic began to set in. My hand reached down for my Pokeballs strung around my waist. "Don't even think about sending out a Pokemon. Or the same rules apply." I tool a harsh breath in, reaching for Hewie's Pokeball.

The blonde haired grunt stiffened, a purple aura surrounded his body. "No Hewie!" The banging of the gun sounded. "Return!" I held the Pokeball towards Hewie. His body turned into a red silhouette and the dart passed straight through it. Relief washed over me. That was far too close. I clipped his Pokeball to my belt and glared at the grunts.

"You need to train that Pokemon of yours better." The blonde grinned. His eyes wandered to Volkner. "Who is this pretty boy. Ohh, I know you." He grinned. "You're the self-absorbed, pitiable Sunyshore gym leader. Volkner Denzi. Notorious for caring only about himself and being quite the ladies man." Volkner's eyes darkened, his head hanging lower. I pushed the feeling of hurt aside, glaring at the two grunts.

"You're one to talk." I hissed. "Look at what you're doing and all that you've done." The two grunts smiled. "You two are nothing but cowards. Along with your leader." The red head lunged at me. I cried out in pain as he pushed me against the window sill, my back hanging out of it. A clicking sound caught my attention. I turned my head down to see Red's Pokeball falling down to the ocean. "No!" My voice was strangled. The blonde was across Volkner, the two of them in fighting positions. The red headed grunt cuffed my hands together in heavy metal restraints swiftly behind my back.

Volkner punched the blonde in the nose, causing blood to stream out from it. The grunt took Volkner's feet out from under him. "Let's go! I've got her!" The red head began pushing me towards the spiral staircase.

My heart pounded in my chest. This can't be happening. "Volkner!" I cried out, needing his help desperately. Out of nowhere, Volkner kicked the blonde square in the back, sending him crumpling down the stair case. He grabbed the nook of my elbow and pulled. The red head latched onto my hair, pulling against Volkner. My eyes squeezed shut at the pain. With a hard yank, Volkner pulled me from the grunt's grasp. A cold shriek erupted from me as the grunt tugged out a small chunk of my hair. Volkner's strong arms latched around my body, the two of us stumbling backwards. He grunted as his lower back slammed into the window sill, both of us tumbling out of it.

His grip around my arms faltered, separating us as we fell through the air. The wind whipped through my hair, sending it flying in all different directions. I was too scared to scream. The water hit my body like shards of ice, each piercing through my skin. I gasped, before fully submerging into the water. Bubbles floated up past my head towards the surface. My legs kicked wildly, but the weight of the cuffs around my wrists dragged me deeper into the water. This is it.. I'm going to drown here. I'm going to die before being able to fully live my life. All the things I've never been able to do.

My lungs screamed for air. Shant be long now before I pass out from lack of air. What a bitter end.

All feeling in my hands and feet went numb from the cold water. I blinked my eyes heavily, taking in the beauty of the floating water. My body continued to sink further. A light blue object approaching caught my attention. That can't be.. The object approached me rapidly. Red! A speck of blonde appeared on his back as he got closer. Volkner..

His hand latched onto my arm upon reaching me. Red swam rapidly to the surface. Volkner and I both gasped for air as Red broke the water's surface. He pulled me up onto Gyarados' back, placing my head gently on his lap. I coughed up all the water, finally able to fully breathe again. "Towards the gym." He said in a raspy voice. The sun had already begun lowering from the sky, creating pink, orange, and purple waves in the clouds. My body shivered violently at the cold air and my soaking clothes. Volkner's eyes were wide and alert, a drastic change from earlier.

* * *

He walked me through the hallways of the gym. Volkner found Red's Pokeball in the ocean, thankfully. I followed him quietly. The two of us were soaked to the core, shivering from the cold. "I have extra clothes you can borrow and a spare room. You can take a shower and relax here for a while. You know where the living room and kitchen are, so help yourself."

"Thank you." I said quietly. I can't be certain why, but for some reason what the grunt said at the lighthouse has been bothering me. We arrived at the room I awoke in last night. It's hard to believe so much has happened in a single day. I walked in hesitatingly, and opened the dresser next to the bed. Girls' clothes and other items were folded neatly. "If you don't mind my asking, why do you have girl's clothes?" What the grunt said is starting to add up.

He shifted uneasily, looking out the window at the setting sun. "They were my sister's. She used to live here with me and help maintain the gym. This was her room." He answered my question before I could even ask it. "She died a long time ago." I lowered my head, ashamed of myself for judging before knowing the truth. I belittled him for doing the same thing not two hours ago and here I am doing it myself. "Take your time. You're safe here." I nodded, thanking him quietly. He left the room, closing to door gently behind him.

I walked into the bathroom and turned on the shower head. Steam began to fill the room, fogging up the large mirror. With some difficulty, I slipped out of my cold drenched clothing and stepped under the hot water. It instantly warmed up my shivering body. Robotically, I washed my hair and body, not able to concentrate on any one thing. What the Galactic grunt said earlier about Volkner shouldn't be bothering me this much. _You're the self-absorbed, pitiable Sunyshore gym leader. Volkner Denzi. Notorious for caring only about himself and being quite the ladies man._ Why would he be considered pitiable? In my opinion, he can hold his own and isn't afraid of anyone. A least that's what it seems like. The bit about him being self-absorbed and only caring about himself can't be true. Why else would he have helped me? For the 'ladies man' part, I can't be entirely sure. I mean come on, the guy is rather attractive. There is no doubt in my mind that he could get any girl that he wanted. Is that something he actually does or was the grunt just saying it to get under my skin? Do I really want to know the answer to that? Why is this even bothering me? I hardly even know the guy.

Maybe that's the problem. I don't know him. He obviously has questions that he wants answered and I have a few myself.

I shut the water off, and took a step onto the cold tile. It sent a cold shiver up the entire length of my leg, leaving goosebumps in its wake. With haste, I dried my body off and hustled out of the bathroom, desiring for warm clothes. I opened my bag and put on panties and a bra. With hesitation, I opened Volkner's sister's drawer. She had excellent taste in fashion. But all I want is a sweater and sweatpants.

After neatly searching through a few clothing items, I pulled out a fire red sweater and black tight fitting sweatpants. They were almost like leggings but provided more cushion and warmth. My stomach growled suddenly. He said I could help myself..

A few candles dully lit the room. To my surprise, the lights flickered on. Volkner must have got the electricity to start up again.

His sister's room was painted a deep red. What seemed to be fire sketches were painted onto her walls, twirling and mixing together. Pictures were strung up from a black wire going across the headboard of her bed. I took a few steps closer, trying to get a better look. In the picture at the center of the wire, Volkner and his sister stood side by side, arms strung over the other's shoulder. Her hair was an extremely bright blonde color adorned with a red ombre. Her dark green eyes glowed against her pale skin. She stood a few inches shorter than Volkner but managed to look just as fierce and bold. The pictures branching out from that one were of her Pokemon, and I'm assuming of her friends. One in particular caught my attention. In the picture, she is sitting next to a Charizard. From what I've seen, Charizard is a very difficult Pokemon to raise. Yet, this one looks so content and happy. He is resting his head on her lap, a huge smile plastered to his face. She must have been a caring person and an excellent trainer at that.

I wonder what happened to her. She looked so young. What could have possibly happened that resulted in her death?

A cold shiver ran down my spine. I shouldn't dwell on the matter. Besides, it would be rude of me to ask Volkner about such a touchy subject.

I walked out of the room, leaving my bag filled with my Pokeballs inside. They could use a rest. There is no reason to have them with me here. I feel safe for the time being. The hallways were lit dimly. My footsteps against the white tiles echoed through the bare space.

Just as I turned the corner, a body collided with mine, nearly making me stumble to the floor. A hand latched onto my wrist, keeping me balanced. Flint grinned down at me, his other hand rubbing the back of his neck. "Sorry, Shigeru. I didn't see you there." He chuckled.

"Dawn. Just call me Dawn." I said nervously. He nodded his head, letting my wrist go. "So how long have you and Volkner known each other?" My voice was uneasy.

He tapped his chin a few times. "Too many to count. He busted me out of a real bad situation in our early teens and we've been friends ever since. He became the gym leader here and I became part of the Elite Four. He hasn't been able to get rid of me since." He gave me a toothy grin, which I returned with a small smile. "I've been meaning to ask. Are you going to be taking on the Elite Four any time soon? Cause I'm just dying for a chance to battle you!" Flint said enthusiastically.

"Well," I started, unsure of how to answer, "I'm sure I'll get there eventually." My gaze wandered down to my bare feet. Will I ever really able to fulfill my journey anymore? With all that's happened, it doesn't seem like a possibility.

His smile began to vanish. "Ohh, alright. Well I presume you have a few things to discuss with Volkner. I'll catch you two around. See ya." He said politely, before making his way down the hallway. I waved goodbye. Once he was out of sight, I leaned against the wall, placing my cold hand to my warm forehead. I'm so tired and exhausted. Once I get things sorted out with Volkner, I'll get a good nights sleep.

* * *

The sound of music playing made its way to me from the living room. I entered through the door and walked slowly to the kitchen. Volkner was listening to music while cooking something. Smells like waffles. His Pokemon were all roaming about, not really concerned with my presence. Its a good thing I didn't bring Hewie. The music all of a sudden shut off. I turned to see Volkner looking over to me. His eyes scanned down my body, making me shift uncomfortably. I crossed my arms in front of my chest, heat rushing to my cheeks. His eyes widened slightly, and he quickly turned his head away. "That was my sister's favorite sweater." He said softly, after clearing his throat.

"I can go change into something different.. If you'd like." Typical of me to pick out the one shirt that meant a lot to his sister.

He smiled and shook his head. "No, don't worry about it. It's nice to finally see it out of that dresser."

"She had really good taste," I said cautiously. Volkner chuckled softly.

"She sure did. Anytime I went out to buy clothes, she insisted on going with me. Apparently my fashion sense wasn't up to par." I smiled softly, staring down at my bare feet again. He cleared his throat. "Why don't you take a seat at the island. Waffle?"

My stomach growled and I nodded my head eagerly, sitting on the tall stool in front of the island. "Yes, please." Volkner placed a medium sized waffle on a plate and placed it in front of me. He fixed himself a plate and sat down across from me. We ate our waffles in silence, now and again stealing glances at each other.

Both of us finished at around the same time. Volkner looked to me anxiously. "So, I have a few questions."

"I figured you would." I sighed.

He collected my plate and his and put them in the sink. "Why is Team Galactic after you?" He asked, leaning against the sink.

I rolled my eyes. "That isn't exactly something I can talk about." His crossed his arms, and blinked slowly. A frustrated sigh broke the silence. "There have been some family issues and now Team Galactic has gotten involved. It's nothing important so don't worry about it."

Volkner rolled his eyes, throwing his head back. "You're so stubborn! You don't take help from anyone! I swear, you remind me of.." His eyes squinted together. "Holy crap.. Your last name isn't Shigeru. It's Surge. You're Lieutenant Surge's daughter!"

My mouth fell ajar. "There is no way you could have known that!" I barked, standing up and backing away slightly.

"We are both Electric type gym leaders. Do you really think we don't talk? He never mentioned he had a daughter, though. But that doesn't explain why those Galactic imbeciles are after you."

Why does he care so much? "You're really nosy, you know that?" I growled.

Volkner scoffed. "Do you blame me? You're so sketchy! There is always something bad happening around you! From the minute I met you, it's been one disaster after another!" Is he being serious? The nerve of this guy! I marched right up to him and stood on my tip toes, the same way as when he accused me of cheating.

"Then why did you come after me? If I'm such a burden on you, why did you feel the need to go find me at the Lighthouse? Huh? I was perfectly fine without you!" My breathing was heavy as I tried to control my anger. "I didn't ask for any of this to happen. You got involved when I told you to stay away. So to answer your question, yes. I do blame you."

He looked as if he were going to say something, but I wasn't going to have any of it. I've had enough arguing for one day. It probably isn't the best idea to stay the night here, but I'm too tired to care. I walked into Volkner's sister's room and shut the door quietly behind me. With a heavy heart, I leaned against the door, and slid down until I was sitting on the ground. Tears welled in my eyes, and before I knew it, they spilled over. The popping sound of a Pokeball caught my attention, but the tears continued to fall against my will.

Hewie waddled over to me. He latched onto my side and I rested my head atop his, letting my tears fall freely. "Abraa." He called in his scratchy voice.

"I'm sorry, Hewie." I choked out between sobs. "I'm sorry this all had to happen." He said nothing more, but instead comforted me while I cried, which is the only thing I could have asked for.

**Alrighty, so hopefully everyone enjoyed. Till next time -A**


End file.
